Carol covered her eyes with her hands, feeling something wet dripping down her arms. Trembling, she clutched the hem of her friend's clothes.
After a while, the sounds in the alley began to fade. Carol cautiously opened her fingers and peeked out with her bright orange eyes.
The darkness in the alley created stark contrasts of black and white. At the intersection, a tall figure loomed like a giant against the sky. Beneath him lay the strange zombies they had encountered earlier, sprawled on the ground like heaps of discarded trash.
"Could it be that in an instant…?"
An incredible thought crossed Carol's mind, and reason told her it might be true. But her companions saw things differently.
"This man is really strong!"
His movements were as fast as lightning, and his aim was astonishingly precise. The zombies that littered the ground had almost no visible wounds; their necks were merely sunken at the connection between their heads and collarbones. In other words, before any of the zombies could react, this man had effortlessly crushed their spines.
"Are you both okay?"
The voice was calm but strong. Just from the tone, it was clear this person was unfazed by this encounter.
A girl in a blue school uniform cupped her fists in gratitude.
"Thank you for saving us. My name is Hua."
"Sure enough…"
Orion confirmed silently in his heart; he had sensed something extraordinary about the girl since she first appeared.
Hua was a warrior with remarkable potential, already exhibiting abilities that set her apart from others.
After all, not everyone could fend off ordinary zombies with their bare hands. It was clear that she could defend herself when necessary. But the appearance of the zombies complicated things.
Orion knew what zombies meant—disaster was already in motion. Big collapses always start with small cracks.
"That was terrifying!" Carol blurted out, finally shaking off the fright that had seized her.
She clutched her chest, still buzzing with adrenaline—this was way beyond anything she was prepared for. To most, the Honkai were just stories, nightmares that belonged in rumors, not reality.
"Thanks, handsome! Without you, we'd be dead meat!" Carol clasped her hands in gratitude, her usual cheer bouncing back fast, while Hua remained tense and silent.
"It was nothing…" Orion hesitated, his gaze lingering on Hua for a few seconds before he continued, "Just treat it as a nightmare and go home. Someone will handle the situation here."
He waved his hand, urging them to leave. There were things he wanted to say, but now wasn't the right time.
"Hey, can we have your contact information?" Carol asked, feeling a bit embarrassed as she fidgeted.
Normally, she was the one making boys nervous when she greeted them, but now she felt an unfamiliar mix of nervousness and something else that pushed her to ask.
"No."
Orion simply refused. His number was likely still being monitored by Fire Moth's information department. Although he didn't have many friends in this world, letting ordinary people know his number would only cause more harm than good.
"Ah—okay."
Carol's disappointment was evident, but she quickly recovered. After pulling her companion Hua aside to express her gratitude, she walked toward the bright light outside.
Orion watched the two leave in silence. He preferred to use actions to demonstrate his feelings rather than words.
Gazing down at the zombies at his feet, he clenched his fists slightly. After a moment, his phone rang in the alley.
…
Carol stepped out of the alley, the warmth of the sun reminding her how long she'd been in the dark.
Beside her, a familiar presence lingered. When she turned, a pair of sharp blue eyes was already on her.
"Ahaha... haha..."
After getting scolded, Carol scratched her head, embarrassed. Her partner wasn't much for words, but she could feel his disapproval.
"Carol, if this happens again, I won't be there to save you."
Hua spoke carefully, every word measured. Carol shrank under his gaze, fumbling for an excuse.
"I—It's not like I planned for this to happen..."
Hua sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. She wasn't getting it.
"By the way, Hua, what do you think of that guy we just met?"
Carol quickly changed the topic.
"He's very powerful."
After thinking for a long time, Hua struggled to find the right words to describe Orion, finally managing a short answer: "Yes, he was very strong."
As she recalled the scene from earlier, Carol's golden eyes began to sparkle with excitement. At first glance,
Orion had well-defined chest muscles, solid arms, and a rugged face that made him look like a hero stepping straight out of an ancient Greek sculpture.
Carol, who usually favored the tough-guy style, felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of him.
As these thoughts swirled in her mind, Carol's cheeks flushed slightly while immersed in her imagination.
Hua was in a similar situation, but for different reasons, she simulated how Orion moved in her mind. Although Orion only briefly attacked, she could still construct how he moved.
Orion's strike looked effortless, his fingers cutting through the air in a precise arc. Hua knew this kind of movement wasn't just skill—it was mastery of the human body. Every step, every motion, was calculated perfection, leaving her in quiet awe.
Both girls were lost in their thoughts. Carol snapped out of it first and noticed Hua also day dreaming, Carol mischievously poked her shoulder and teased, "What's this? Does someone have a crush?"
"C-Carol!" Hua exclaimed, his face turning bright red as she tried to push her away.
"Hahaha, okay, okay! No need for violence!" Carol laughed, and the two girls sprinted away; their earlier gloom completely vanished. Laughter echoed through the street, and they couldn't help but marvel at the boundless energy of youth, feeling invigorated just by being in each other's presence.
Human beings, as a collective, continue to radiate brightness and beauty on the surface. The threat of collapse has yet to shatter this delicate veneer. It's uncertain how much longer this peace and stability will endure in the world. Orion's footsteps echoed as he returned to the city where he first arrived—a place that demands meticulous planning and cautious measures for the future.